A judge has rejected Bryan Kohberger's "alternate perpetrator" defense in his upcoming murder trial. Kohberger, 30, is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022. The ruling prevents his defense team from suggesting that other individuals could be responsible for the murders. The judge found that there was no evidence linking the proposed alternate suspects to the crime.
Kohberger's trial is set to begin in August, with jury selection starting on August 4 and opening statements expected on August 18. Kohberger faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
The defense had proposed four alternate suspects, arguing that they had connections to the victims. However, the judge ruled that the evidence was speculative and did not meet the standards required by Idaho law. The judge emphasized that the evidence was irrelevant and could mislead the jury. Kohberger's defense team also faced setbacks in their attempts to delay the trial and present an alibi defense. They claimed Kohberger was driving alone at the time of the murders, but the court found this insufficient without supporting witnesses.